Saturday, May 1, 2010

Bishop Daniel’s Fables, IV

Russian, anonymous, first half of the 20th century:

The king of beasts had met the sowAnd had insulted her – and how!She wanted to defend her rightAnd challenged him to mortal fight.The king accepted: so a dateWas set, and this did seal her fate. The fatal meeting drawing nearThe sow was dying out of fearAnd, wishing to avoid the strife,She started running for her life,Being unable to defendHer rights – and then she met a friend.Her friend, the boar, said looking at her:“Now, sister, come, what is the matter?Tell me – on me you can rely”.To this the sow made this reply:“I have nobody to rely on.I’ve been insulted by the lionAnd challenged him to moral fight:My only hope is now in flight.” –“Don’t be so rash, my darling, please!Not far from here, you know, there isA mud-hole, filled with filth and dung.‘Tis very potent, very strong.Its mud, it being very smelly.With it you rub your back and belly,Your snout, your feet and both your ears –Then you should not have any fears,But you go straight to meet the king.No other weapons you need bring,For this you ought to understand:No other animal can standNo human being and no god The smell of this enchanted mud!”The sow obeyed the boar: she didExactly as she had been bid,Smearing herself from head to toes.The lion comes, he sniffs – and goes!Then all the pigs began to shout:“We won! the lion has backed out!”